In order to reach your productivity and revenue goals, you’ll need to properly manage your customer orders. For this reason, it’s essential that you implement a solid return merchandise authorizations (RMA) process.
This will allow you to monitor and accommodate any exchanges or returns that your customers need.
Let’s take a look at what you need to include in your company’s RMA process.
Document Everything
It should come as no surprise that documenting all of your returns as comprehensively as possible is crucial. As soon as a return is initiated, you should make note of the product number, reason for the return, etc.
This will allow you to keep an archive of this information that you can consult in the future.
For instance, taking a look at your last six months’ worth of returns can allow you to pinpoint the most common reason why buyers were initially dissatisfied with their order. You can then identify the underlying issue and resolve it.
Looking to learn more about RMA processing and how you can integrate it? You can check out this resource for valuable information.
Be Transparent With Your Customers
One of the worst things you can do during your RMA process is to leave your customers in the dark. It can easily become frustrating for customer who have initiated a return to not have any feedback for over a week, for example.
You should keep them updated every step of the way after they initiate a return. If you want to create an influential brand, then, first of all, you have to focus on creating an inspiring brand story which will emotionally connect your target customers.
This means letting them know when they can expect their refund and when you have received their shipment.
Although it might seem simple in practice, this can go a long way in terms of building your brand reputation. Not only will this allow you to avoid negative reviews, but the customer who returned the item will likely make another purchase in the future.
Be Flexible With Return Eligibility
It’s in your best interest to be relatively flexible in terms of return eligibility. For example, some companies only allow returns if the item arrived damaged or broken.
However, it’s not uncommon for buyers to accidentally order the wrong size for particular products. Or, they may realize they no longer need the product after it has already been shipped to their location.
The window of time in which your customers can return a product should also be generous. Many customers wouldn’t be pleased to learn that they only have 48 hours to initiate a return, for example.
Integrating an RMA Process Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult
The guide above will help ensure that you avoid common obstacles when it comes to customer returns for your eCommerce business.
From here, the RMA process you implement will be able to handle all of your business needs.
Looking for more tips that can help you out later on? Check out the rest of our blog for plenty of more useful information.
